1. Field of the Invention
Elastomeric poly(1-butene), copolymers of 1-butene, and polymer blends containing said polymers and copolymers, and a catalytic process for making said poly(1-butene).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Relatively noncrystalline, low-molecular-weight poly(1-butenes) are known which resemble greases or viscous oils and are consequently of little commercial interest. These amorphous polymers have properties which lie between those of a viscous liquid and an unvulcanized noncrystallizable elastomer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,452, column 2).
High-molecular weight, highly crystalline poly(1-butenes) are also known. Although such highly crystalline polymers usually have a relatively noncrystalline fraction, the fractionable polymer will behave substantially like the high-crystalline fraction. This is so regardless of any elastomeric attributes which the noncrystalline fraction may display when separated from the rest of the polymer. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,999, U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,452, British Pat. No. 855,753, British Pat. No. 856,737 and Italian Pat. No. 564,233.
Thus, there is a need for a poly(1-butene) which is elastomeric despite having relatively high- and low-crystalline fractions. there is a need especially for such poly(1-butene) which is elastomeric as made, without the need for subsequent separation and recovery of an elastomeric fraction. Such needs are now met by the fractionable, elastomeric, whole-polymer poly(1-butene) of this invention.